What to do if you lose your rig.

[Daveinet]

There is one important thing that most did not say except for @Jackdaw touched on. ACCOUNTING FOR ALL SAILORS AND THEIR INJURIES IF ANY FIRST. HE TOUCHED ON EVERYTHING ELSE. The rig would be the last thing. I once saw a mast fall hitting a man in the head falling overboard unconscious while others were arguing on failure and what to do. I jumped overboard clothes and all to save his life. Once the ambulance took him to emergency, then I let those idiots have it as the man could have died. I was on another boat nearby

While your point is well taken, I would not be as hard on those who made the error. When you have an emergency, your brain and vision narrows. Adrenalin kicks in, and emotions increase. This is NORMAL. The ONLY defense of this is to have a plan in place ahead of time. If someone has not thought of this ahead of time, bad decisions are made. The whole point of this thread is for us to put a plan in place. The fault is a lack of plan, not necessarily poor judgement during the emergency itself.

 

[jmce1587]

this also happened to me in an offshore Gulf of Mexico race at 1:30 in the morning 28 miles SE of Freeport Tx with winds ~25 and 6’ seas. Chain plate on port side broke and mast fell to starboard hitting the life lines and snapping at that point to hanging 90 degrees to boat. After ensuring all crew onboard and safe, we went about the rig removal task. We were able to pull the headsail with 3 of us pulling a water Filled headsail onboard. Then we proceeded to bring in main having to cut slugs off as we hauled it in. After stowing sails we then began the task of pulling cotter pins to remove turnbuckles taking the ones that were slack first In order to release the mast. Last to go was forestay which we cut with a hacksaw. We keep Several types of tools on board.

All in all took 3 hours to de-rig the boat. We had a hand held radio as back up knowing main vhf was useless as the antenna was 40‘ underwater. One concern was having a spreader poke a hole in the side of the boat.
Routine Maintenance is performed on the boat and the standing rigging was inspected and replaced 6 months prior to incident. Reason chain plate broke at its connection was attributed to age and dissimilar metals with a SS rod in a carbon steel angle plate secured by a castle nut. Rod snapped at base of angle plate. Due to hunter design on this boat the rod to angle plate was not accessible for a full visual inspection without cutting access ports into interior liner which we now have after installing a replacement rig.

 

[Hunter216]

Then we proceeded to bring in main having to cut slugs off as we hauled it in.

This approach has been helpful to me. I had envisioned a struggle releasing the track stop and getting the slugs out of the track. Whole lot faster and safer to just cut them off.

 

[Jackdaw]

This approach has been helpful to me. I had envisioned a struggle releasing the track stop and getting the slugs out of the track. Whole lot faster and safer to just cut them off.

Everyone has their sailing knife with them right? Even on shore I feel strange without it in my pocket.

 

[Hunter216]

I’m wondering if a rigging knife that could be quickly attached to a boat pole would be useful from a safety perspective.

Boat heaving, waves and/or wind flopping the sail around, hand NOT holding the knife being close to a razor sharp blade sounds kinda dicey.

I always have multiple knives with lanyards aboard. Arthritic fingers and risk of pirates

 

[Jackdaw]

I’m wondering if a rigging knife that could be quickly attached to a boat pole would be useful from a safety perspective.

Boat heaving, waves and/or wind flopping the sail around, hand NOT holding the knife being close to a razor sharp blade sounds kinda dicey.

I always have multiple knives with lanyards aboard. Arthritic fingers and risk of pirates

That’s why you always used blunt tipped knives on boats. Every crewmember carries one, and we have two secured on the boat. One of the tiller, and one on the boom vang - you can see it here taped to the bottom of the strut.

 

[sloughsailer]

It's good to have the proper tools. The tri I used to race as so modified that it was hard to keep it together. I spent one off shore race below stuffing toilet paper into a crack in the centerboard case with a salad fork.

 

[Daveinet]

I always carry a Gerber. Its rare for me to work on any project without using it. BUT the most important thing is that it can be opened with one hand, used, closed and put back into its sheath without ever touching it with my other hand. You sailors may single hand, well I multi-tool single hand.

 

[Jackdaw]

I always carry a Gerber. Its rare for me to work on any project without using it. BUT the most important thing is that it can be opened with one hand, used, closed and put back into its sheath without ever touching it with my other hand. You sailors may single hand, well I multi-tool single hand.

You can open a Gerber multi-tool with one hand?? I have a hard time getting the tools out with BOTH hands.

 

[Jackdaw]

t Reason chain plate broke at its connection was attributed to age and dissimilar metals with a SS rod in a carbon steel angle plate secured by a castle nut. Rod snapped at base of angle plate.

What a bummer. You do the good work of keeping the rigging up to date, and the boat builder lets you down by saving a few bucks and using carbon steel in a hidden structural part.

 

[Kings Gambit]

I’ve thought it best to routinely use the services of a professional rigger for rig (maintenance) inspections. The boat is now 20 yr old following my 16 yr of ownership. I have the original shrouds but I replaced the backstay and forestay two yr ago. A mast-down inspection in 2018 found no reason to replace the 10 mm shrouds. I carry the hacksaw with extra blades as JD mentioned, and the serrated-blade rigging knife. I’m sure the saw could cut it away but it might take some time. Alternatively, I don’t see how I could rescue the mast if the whole rig came down. I was thinking of getting a second hacksaw.

I’ve actually spent more thought energy on how I might stabilize it if not completely down. To that end (but for other uses as well) I carry 6x, 4x, and 3x-purchase block and fall sets, one of each. Those, along with the use of halyards, up-hauls and winches, might steady a failed side against the other if properly deployed. If one side, e.g., weather side, starts to go, you might get that one or two seconds to tack the boat, depending. I know a fellow who did just that, but on a small boat (Cal20). Got the boat home mast up, etc.

 

[dlochner]

In the second year I owned Second Star just moments before we were to step the rig one of the yard hands ran his fingers along the a cap shroud and discovered a cracked wire in the shroud. Needless to say, the mast didn't go up that day. Since then all the standing rigging has been replaced.

Fortunately, the mast is unstepped each year which allows for easy inspection of the fittings and shrouds. A few weeks ago there was a thread here on SBO about a mast failure while the boat was moored. From the photos on that thread, the upper swage on the forestay failed due to crevice corrosion and the clevis pin for the back stay also fell out.

Rig inspection is critical!

 

[Hunter216]

I found myself down the Google internet rabbit hole looking for a hand tool that would be useful to cut the rigging away. When I started thinking about this it seems that there would be cables under high tension and others that would be slack so a hacksaw would seem easier to use on the tensioned ones and not so much on the slack ones.

I found this:

Ratchet wire rope cutters - BAUDAT GmbH & Co. KG

Kabelscheren, Drahtseilscheren, Bolzenschneider, Blechlocher, Hydraulikpumpen und Sonderwerkzeuge der BAUDAT GmbH & Co. KG - Made in Germany

www.baudat.de

Has anyone seen one of these in action?

 

[dlochner]

I found myself down the Google internet rabbit hole looking for a hand tool that would be useful to cut the rigging away. When I started thinking about this it seems that there would be cables under high tension and others that would be slack so a hacksaw would seem easier to use on the tensioned ones and not so much on the slack ones.

I found this:

Ratchet wire rope cutters - BAUDAT GmbH & Co. KG

Kabelscheren, Drahtseilscheren, Bolzenschneider, Blechlocher, Hydraulikpumpen und Sonderwerkzeuge der BAUDAT GmbH & Co. KG - Made in Germany

www.baudat.de

Has anyone seen one of these in action?

Nice. And a bargain at only ~190 Euro.

BAUDAT Wire Rope Cutter SCS13 only 259,95 € | SVB

Ratchet wire rope cutters for single-handed operation. Cut flexible wire ropes up to Ø 13 mm and stainless steel wires up to Ø 10 mm.

www.svb24.com

 

[Hunter216]

Nice. And a bargain at only ~190 Euro

Well in CDN $ that’s about 4 Billion so I would make sure I had a lanyard attached.

I have cut some non stainless steel cable and it isn’t easy to work with, started with a hacksaw and ended up using an oxyacetylene torch! I assume stainless would be even more challenging.

I like the idea of this tool being “one handed” (what’s the saying one hand for you, one for the boat). The ratchet action I think in theory let’s you take little bites sort of like using vice grips while turning the tightness knob. Whether you have the grip strength to close the handles with one hand likely depends a bit on age or how angry you are

 

[Daveinet]

You can open a Gerber multi-tool with one hand?? I have a hard time getting the tools out with BOTH hands.

Pretty much, especially if you need to. The screwdriver bits are much harder and I have a potential to drop it, but the knife, the scissors, the file, all can be opened with one hand. Of course the pliers is just a quick flick of the wrist. That is why you buy a Gerber and not a Leatherman. I've got pretty good dexterity and strength from riding motorcycles. I brake and clutch with two fingers. The outside two grip the throttle/bar. For entertianment in Chicago stop and go traffic, I would try to not put my feet down. Brake, clutch and throttle control all at the same time - developed a lot of strength in my fingers. Also burnt up the clutch .

 

[Jackdaw]

Pretty much, especially if you need to. The screwdriver bits are much harder and I have a potential to drop it, but the knife, the scissors, the file, all can be opened with one hand. Of course the pliers is just a quick flick of the wrist. That is why you buy a Gerber and not a Leatherman. I've got pretty good dexterity and strength from riding motorcycles. I brake and clutch with two fingers. The outside two grip the throttle/bar. For entertianment in Chicago stop and go traffic, I would try to not put my feet down. Brake, clutch and throttle control all at the same time - developed a lot of strength in my fingers. Also burnt up the clutch .

Wow. Can you post a video of you opening the knife (or any other folding tool)?

 

[jssailem]

I’ve thought about this event.

1. My first thought is skipper and crew. Are we all alive, on the boat, not injured And wearing life jackets. If not all crew is on board issue Mayday Call to CG. Give Location, condition of boat and crew. Recover crew not on board.
2. Next, is the boat floating and the hull not damaged. Are we taking on water? If so how bad. Bilge pumps on then stop the flow into the boat. Empty any water off the boat.
3. secure the mast and rigging. No one goes into the water with the rigging and mast. The chance that you could be come entangled is too great to risk exposing self or crew.
4. if mast is endangering the boat cut it loose, that is why the big bolt cutters are on the boat. Hack saw good second option. If at sea and away from rescue. If rigging is not damaging the boat and can be made secure, then do so.
5. once all lines and rigging is secure on board then start motor and begin to power home. Call CG and issue a pan pan . Give condition of people and a list of who is aboard. ALL IN LIFE JACKEST. Identify the plan and expected ETA. Be sure to check in with CG when you are safely returned to port.

That’s my plan for the worst case issue.

 

[Jackdaw]

I’ve thought about this event.

1. My first thought is skipper and crew. Are we all alive, on the boat, not injured And wearing life jackets. If not all crew is on board issue Mayday Call to CG. Give Location, condition of boat and crew. Recover crew not on board.
2. Next, is the boat floating and the hull not damaged. Are we taking on water? If so how bad. Bilge pumps on then stop the flow into the boat. Empty any water off the boat.
3. secure the mast and rigging. No one goes into the water with the rigging and mast. The chance that you could be come entangled is too great to risk exposing self or crew.
4. if mast is endangering the boat cut it loose, that is why the big bolt cutters are on the boat. Hack saw good second option. If at sea and away from rescue. If rigging is not damaging the boat and can be made secure, then do so.
5. once all lines and rigging is secure on board then start motor and begin to power home. Call CG and issue a pan pan . Give condition of people and a list of who is aboard. ALL IN LIFE JACKEST. Identify the plan and expected ETA. Be sure to check in with CG when you are safely returned to port.

That’s my plan for the worst case issue.

Thats a pretty good list, with maybe the exception of all the calls to the CG.

In the first instance, I would not call unless their was a unrecovered MOB, health issues, or a risk to the boat. If you have it under control, carry on.

In the second instance, same thing. If you are motoring in, then you're just a motorboat. No need to call. The only possible exception I can think of is if your nav lights were masthead, you didn't have a emergency backup set, and you are transiting in reduced visibility/night. Then I would issue a sécurité radio call to all mariners in the area, and advise. The watchstanders will hear this, and rebroadcast if they see fit.

Now if you are low in fuel, you just call Seatow directly. You can call the CG, but unless you are in peril they will just issue a marine service broadcast on your behalf, which will probably be answered by Seatow anyway.

 

[Hunter216]

I’m a bit of a tool junkie so have spent some time researching what items are out there that would be somewhat universal to sailors. Thought I would share for anyone else considering updating their on-board toolkit.

The least expensive, most versatile, lightweight tools seem to be hacksaw and knives/multi tools. I don’t think I need to get into knives as everyone likely has their personal favourite.

Hacksaw Bi-metal blades seem to be the preferred choice. The density of the teeth is a cutting efficiency factor depending on what you are cutting, rod or solid metal like a mast or boom (coarse) vs multi-strand cable (fine). Cutting the last few strands of slack cable can be quite challenging so it might be useful to have a cable cutter for the last little bit.

Some common brand names for “compact” cable cutters are Felco and Nipex. Note that some versions of these may be able to cut small diameter cable all by themselves.

Sailors that have large boats that logically have more storage space, less weight restrictions and large scale rigs may elect to have more powerful gear on-board in addition to the manual hacksaw. Powered grinders with cutoff wheels and two handed shears seem to be the most common choices. I found it interesting that none of the photos I saw of cutoff grinders had any blade guard or a grab handle to counter the torque of the tool. I have a corded grinder for shop work and I don’t consider it a one handed tool so I’m not sure how I would use this type of device safely in a dismasting???

The bolt cutter devices don’t seem to come with a lanyard so that might be a good mod and it would seem reasonable to have them oversized for what you have to cut. If your going to have a large tool aboard that will only be used in an emergency it might as well be bigger than you think you need . I looked for any that had telescopic handles but didn’t find any, I have garden loppers with telescopic handles that are great so the leverage makes a difference. Perhaps some short lengths of pipe that would fit over the handles to make them longer might be handy. When I think of using that tool because of my age I would assume that I would try to position it so that one handle was on the deck and I could use my body weight to close rather than trying to close with body strength alone.